Meta (META.US) is testing a premium subscription service on Instagram, which includes a feature called "invisible view stories."

Meta (META.US) owned Instagram is currently testing a new premium subscription service, where paid users will have access to exclusive features. This is one of the company's efforts to build a stable source of income beyond its core advertising business. Among the benefits exclusive to subscription users, many are related to Instagram's "Stories" feature, such as being able to view someone's stories without them knowing. Paid users can also create an unlimited number of audience lists and extend the expiration of stories by 24 hours. As one of the most popular features of the app, normal stories currently disappear automatically after 24 hours. "We hope to understand through these tests which features of the premium features are most valuable to users," a spokesperson for Instagram confirmed on Monday that the company is testing this premium subscription level in a few countries. It is understood that Instagram is currently rolling out this subscription service in Mexico, Japan, and the Philippines, with a monthly fee of just a few dollars. Meta Platforms Inc., the parent company of Instagram, has tried various subscription products over the years and has launched a subscription model that allows users to tip content creators they follow. Other companies that rely on advertising revenue, including Snap Inc. and Elon Musk's X platform, are also actively promoting subscription services. Subscription business is seen as a complement to advertising and can provide a more predictable source of income. In February, Meta confirmed that the company is also considering launching premium subscription services for Facebook and WhatsApp.